Harry Potter and the Darkest Day
by Grlphantom
Summary: We all know and love Harry. However, there is something about him that bonds him with another famous character. Will he win the love of his life? Will Malfoy get in the way of Harry's ultimate happiness? Please R/R!
1. The West End

Okay, I don't own anything - not the great HP or anything to do with him. I also don't own anything to do with POTO.  
  
Introduction Well, we all know and love Harry. However, there is something about him that bonds him with another famous character. Will he win the love of his life? Or will he be forced to live alone, drowning in his self-pity and the hatred he receives from others?  
  
Harry, Hermione, Ron, and the rest of the Weasley family (excluding Bill, Charley, and Mr. Weasley) were all walking away from Her Majesty's Theater in muggle London smiling happily. Ginny was talking excitedly with a glazed look in her eyes.  
  
"Aw, Hermione, wasn't that just too sad? That poor man, tormented all his life, just to have his one true love chose someone else?" sighed Ginny.  
  
"Yeah, Hermione," said George flitting his eyelashes, "wouldn't you just love to snog a man with a pizza face?" "Yeah, well, we all know Ginny has a thing for scars!" teased Fred. Ginny turned a violent shade of red, as Harry uncomfortably looked at a billboard for the show they had just seen. "The Phantom of the Opera." mouthed Harry. It was kinda cool, he guessed.  
  
"Yes, well, I still don't understand why the ending was so sad." Said Mr. Weasley "Isn't it obvious that he just disapparated?" "Well, yeah, dad, but the muggles don't know that! I mean it's so clear that he was a wizard! But they never see." said Percy agitated. Harry was surprised that Percy even noticed that much, as he was busy doing paperwork for the Ministry of Magic during the entire play. Percy was upset that he even had to be dragged away from his work to see such a silly muggle production.  
  
Hermione said, "Well, I think it was lovely. The man was obviously talented, but no one accepted him. I just think he was a little, well - mental."  
  
"Like, you're one to talk!" laughed Ron. Hermione punched him playfully on the shoulder. "Shut up!" she said, jokingly.  
  
After a few more minutes of walking, the group reached the Leaky Cauldron, and slipped inside. No one except them had even noticed the door to the small pub. 


	2. Back at Hogwarts

I own nothing. Yep. I'm a starving college student. I really own nothing. Chapter two - Back at Hogwarts  
  
A few weeks had passed and the famous trio was now joined by a fourth. Ginny seemed to have finally gotten over her silly obsession with Harry. Instead she had moved on to something else. Ever since the group went to see The Phantom of the Opera, Ginny had been unable to focus on anything else. Her grades were still fine, but all she talked about was Erik, the "star" of the tale. "Hermoine, do you think Erik would have ever joined with you-know-who?"  
  
"Ginny, stop!" Ginny tried to interrupt, but Hermione grabbed her and shook her, "No! Just stop. Back away from the book." Hermione was referring to the copy of the Phantom novel Ginny always carried around with her. Harry and Ron laughed. Not only was it funny to hear Hermione tell someone else to STOP reading, but it was exactly what they had wanted to do for a while now.  
  
Ginny was simply too much for them. If they heard another thing about the Phantom, they were sure their heads were going to split! "Damn, Ginny, couldn't you just go back to liking Harry?!?"said Hermione. Ginny obviously had not lost her embarrassment when it came to Harry. But this time, she got angry instead of blushing. "I am so sick of you guys! Whenever I find something I can like and I actually relate to, all you do is make fun of me and throw it in my face. I'm sorry Harry, but compared to Erik, you're nothing! Even with that silly little scar and all your adventures!" She yelled this at all of them, then stormed out of the common room. "Whoa! What did I do?" said Harry to Ron and Hermione. "I didn't even say anything!" "Don't worry, she's just a little touchy about this new thing. I think she really is over you though." Ron told him.  
  
"Well, that's good." thought Harry. He never liked how she idolized him. It was nice having someone like him in THAT way, even if he only thought of her as a friend. "Hermione, I think that maybe you should go apologize to her." said Harry. "What, don't you guys feel the same way? Well, maybe Harry doesn't want her to keep liking him, but aren't you sick of it all? Isn't it kind of sick being so infatuated with someone who doesn't even exist?"  
  
"Herm, just do it, okay?" said Ron. The last thing he needed was an owl from is mom saying that he needed to be nicer to his little sister. Hermione got up and huffed, "Fine, maybe she's in the library. I need to go there anyway." "Yeah right, whatever. and you think she's obsessed!" laughed Ron.  
  
"So, anyway, isn't it a little weird the way your sister's been acting lately?" said Harry. "Nah. it's just her weird way of getting over you. When Penelope broke up with Percy he got so into collecting and categorizing Bernie Botts Every-Flavor Beans that mum reckons he nearly got them all. until Fred and George got hungry and stumbled into his room, that is! All that was left was booger, mold and vinegar!" "Well, okay, but you Weasley's need to be a little more .. Normal!"  
  
"Are you really worried about her Harry? I mean, you don't like her or anything do you? That'd be a little weird." "No! I don't like her. I just feel like I'm the reason she's acting funny!" "Well. you are, but don't take it personal. she's always been a little odd!" "okay. I guess.listen, I'm hungry, it's about time to get dinner anyway... let's go down awhile." "okay, said Ron, "But I'm taking my potions homework with me. Maybe Hermione can help." They both left the common room. Harry was secretly hoping that they would eat early so he wouldn't have to run into Ginny. 


	3. Ginny's Plan

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Hopefully I'll own something someday, but right now I own pretty much nothing.  
  
  
  
Okay… I realize that the previous chapters were kind of slow and short… I'm going to try to make everything longer from now on., the next chapters should be longer than this one is. Please review if you have read my story… pretty pretty please!!   
  
Also, if you could suggest how I could add some British phrases into areas, that's be great - I come from Pennsylvania and tend to have some unique phrases that slip through here and there.   
  
  
  
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated… and I promise that this is going to get intense soon… Right now I'm just setting things up!  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
For the next week or so, Harry avoided Ginny like she had the plague. Ginny, honestly, did not seem to notice. Ron and Hermione were perplexed by their friends' behavior.   
  
This day turned out to have particularly interesting classes. They worked on hair growing spells in charms class. Afterwards, everyone was desperately in need of a hair shortening spell or a haircut. Except Harry, whose hair was still the same length… the spell simply bounced off his hair and sprung around the room a few times. Ron grabbed Hermione and pushed her under the desk, then jumped out of the doorway. Seamus narrowly missed being hit, but ducked at the last second, and then it landed squarely on it's eventual target…   
  
Neville's face. Of course, he was then sent to the hospital wing and was administered a simple depilatory potion… not only did he loose his long hairy beard, but his eyebrows as well.   
  
  
Potions was the same as always… Snape took 10 points away from Gryffindor because Harry had drifted to sleep. After class Hermione grabbed Harry, "What on earth were you thinking, falling asleep in Snape's class!? He didn't even need to make up a reason to yell at you today!"   
"I'm sorry Herm, it's just I'm really tired."   
  
Harry wasn't lying. Quidditch practices had just started and Harry was now the captain. Since it was his last year at Hogwarts, he was beginning to feel a bit like Oliver Wood did when Harry was younger – he REALLY wanted to win!! Unfortunately this meant spending all of his time on the quidditch field, and when he wasn't on the field he was working in the lower dungeons.   
  
Harry had stumbled across the room filled with athletic equipment while chasing an errant bludger around the hallways. Harry was now soaring at about 6'3, but he was still thin. He needed to be to play seeker, you have to move fast and the lighter you are the faster you can go. However, he wanted to set a good example for the other team members, especially Jonathan Sherder and Ron. They were the beaters for the team now.   
  
"I'd rather avoid another fall like last year!" Harry said to them, smiling but with a look of seriousness in his eyes.   
  
Last year the Slytherin team had won their only defeat over Gryffindor in all the years Harry had played. After an amazing game Gryffindor was leading by nearly 100 points when a crazed bludger hit both Jonathan and Ron off their broomsticks, them proceeded to harass Harry.   
  
As much as he swerved and dove, there was no use. He ended up falling over 50ft and spent 3 days in the hospital wing, missing one of Snape's tests. Luckily, Dumbledore convinced Snape that Harry could not be failed due to one missed exam. Later the team found out that Malfoy had replaced the bludger with one he had cursed.   
  
All it took to get revenge was a couple of Fred and George's new and improved parchment scrolls. One hour after use, the scroll turned into a large plastic squid. The entire Slytherin team tried to hand in the plastic creatures with their transfiguration homework written on them, but Professor McGonagall was not impressed. "Five points from Slytherin for even trying to hand those things in to me!"   
  


* * *

  
  
Harry decided that he needed the day off and canceled quidditch practice. Instead, he went to sit by the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room and catch up on some charms homework. Much to his dismay, there was already a small redhead sitting in the chair beside the fire. Ginny.   
  
  
"Hey, Harry! What's up?" 

"Nothing Ginny, listen I'm much too tired to here about how great the Phantom of the Opera is, so I think I'll get going…" 

"No, wait, Listen, I'm really sorry for the way I yelled at you last week. I know it didn't have anything to do with you, and I was just being silly," said Ginny.   
"Besides, I think I've calmed down a lot about the Phantom of the Opera thing. I kind of have some other things to think about." 

"Why, is there anything wrong?" asked Harry.   
"Oh no, nothing's wrong at all! Listen, if I tell you this, don't tell anyone, especially Ron. Draco Malfoy asked me to the Winter Ball!" Ginny said happily, a look of glee across her face. 

"Ginny, you are seriously contemplating going with him are you? I mean, He's slimy, he's gross, he bullies everyone!"   
"You think I don't know that? I figure he's doing it to get Ron angry. Well, Ron won't know… I want to give Ron the shock of his life…. And I need your help to give Draco a shock too…" said Ginny with an evil glint in her eye. 

"What did you have in mind?" asked Harry 

"Well, let's just say he'll think twice before insulting a Weasley again!" laughed Ginny. 

  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Liked it so far? I hope so… It's going to get intense soon… but first we have to deal with Malfoy! Hmmm… should he become a lovable friend, or should he really just be using Ginny to make Ron angry? Just click below to review and leave you feedback! Thanks!   
  



	4. Winter Ball

  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own HP or POTO, I also don't own a lot of other things… but we won't get into that right now.

I have to give a big thank you to DigiDestined of Courage, RockChick, and Wicked-Women for your great reviews. Thanks so much! 

Well - it's gonna start rolling from here on out - hold on you're your seat, the ride is leaving the station! 

* * *

It was the night of the Winter Ball and Ginny was astonishingly nervous. The last week the entire school was abuzz with the combined excitement of the dance and the break that started the day afterwards. But Ginny was running around the school like a crazy woman looking up potions and spells. Only Harry knew the real reason. 

In the Gryffindor sixth year girls' room, Ginny was getting dressed. The theme of the night was "A Snowfall in December" and everyone was encouraged to dress semi-formally. This meant that anyone could wear their dress robe; suits or dresses were also acceptable. Ginny decided that she would be wearing a beautiful blue dress that Hermione had given her when she outgrew it. Ginny was average height and thin, and Hermione had grown to be rather tall and somewhat curvy, so Ginny was lucky enough to have a number of pretty dresses inherited from Hermione. 

This night she knew that a simple muggle dress would not be sufficient. Ginny had placed many charms on the dress and as she stood in front of her mirror she knew that Draco and her brother would be shocked. She had severely altered the dress… it was now strapless with a plunging back. The skirt had many layers of cloud-like chiffon around it, and it was a magnificent shade of dark blue. The color made the pale shade of her skin and her red hair stand out beautifully. Ginny stared at herself as she attempted to get her hair to do something. Much unlike Hermione's hair, which was large and difficult to manage, Ginny's hair was thin and straight. She decided that she needed Hermione's help, so she opened the door to leave her room when she heard a knock at the window. 

As Ginny opened the window, a large regal-looking black owl swooped into her room, dropped off a small package, screeched loudly, and immediately left through the window it entered. "Well, that was certainly a mean bird! I can guess pretty well who its owner is." 

Once again her stomach did a nauseating flip. While she was certainly excited to shock her brother (there's no harm in a little prank right?) and get back at Malfoy, she was still very nervous. This was defiantly not something Ginny would normally do. As Ginny opened the box, a wonderfully intoxicating smell perfumed the room… it was a mixture of vanilla and exotic flowers. Ginny felt her head spin and looked inside the box, there was a beautiful corsage inside. It had amazingly large red roses in the middle with dark blue roses surrounding them. Inside the box the was a note that read, "I am so glad you accepted my invitation. Tonight will certainly be a memorable one. I have bewitched the corsage to match your dress, I hope you like it. - Draco" 

Ginny certainly did like it, but she didn't have much time to think about it if she wanted to get her hair done. She grabbed a pair of gloves, cast a spell to make them opera length and match her dress, slipped the corsage over her wrist and ran to Hermione's room. 

"Hermione, you look great!" said Lavender.   
"Thanks, so do you!"   
"Ron's sure going be impressed tonight!"  
"Listen for the last time, I am not gong to the Ball with Ron. Harry, Ron and I are all going together - as a group - as friends!"   
Lavender laughed, "That's what you're saying now, but you wait… it'll change!"  
Pavarti butted in "Just so long as you don't hog both Ron and Harry! How about this, I'll take Harry off your hands for you, and you can enjoy Ron all by yourself!" The girls all laughed. "Seriously, though," said Hermione, "I really don't fancy either of them." "Your loss" said both Lavender and Pavarti.  
  
  
There was a knock on the door and a beautiful redhead burst in…  
"Hermione you need to help me with my hair!" said Ginny.  
All of the fifth year girls surrounded Ginny "oohing" and "aahing".   
"Ginny you look wonderful! You must have put a lot of work into this dress… you must really like Mr. E.!"   
Ginny had never told anyone, besides Harry, who her date was, so they had taken to calling her date Mr. E. (mystery… get it…ha ha) "Thanks for the compliment, but my hair!" said Ginny pointing to her styleless hair.  
  
  
"Oh, well… hmmm…." Hermione took out her wand and pointed it at Ginny's head. Ginny closed her eyes as Hermione said, "Ventsu!" Ginny felt her hair move, and when she looked at herself in Hermione's mirror she saw that her hair was lengthened and in tight spiral curls cascading down her back. "Ohh, one last thing, "said Hermione. "Flora aparum!" At that tiny dark blue flower buds appeared within her curls.   
  
"Wow, Hermione, thank you so much. I'm amazed!"   
"No, problem, but why are you even caring? It's just the same guys we've seen day in and day out!"   
"Hermione, after tonight, nothing will be the same!"   
  
Ginny was right, more than she knew.  
  
  
  
As the girls left their room, they looked down into the common room and caught a glimpse of Harry and Ron. At that moment both girls thought, "No, I need to stop thinking of him like that!"

Coming down the stairs, the loud click of the girls' heels alerted Harry and Ron of their approach. "Whoa," said Harry. Ron did a double take. Both girls looked absolutely ravishing, but he had to admit he was astounded with his sister. When did she grow up so much? He didn't like the way some of the other guys in the common room were looking at her.

Harry went up to Ginny and offered his arm. "Can I escort you to the Great Hall?" "Sure!" giggled Ginny. Ron and Hermione followed suit.   
"So, are you ready?" whispered Harry to Ginny.   
Ginny gulped. "Ready as I'll every be, I guess."   
"You can always back out and just go with me. You don't have to go through with it."   
"Harry, I don't have to but I need to! Besides, it'll be fun. Just imagine the look on his face!"   
"Okay… well here we go!"   
  
They entered the Great Hall and everyone looked to see who the beautiful girl entering with Harry was … there were whispers of "That's couldn't be Ginny Weasley" and "I thought she had given up on that!"   
Ginny didn't even let the words phase her. She had a mission. She sat down at the table Harry had led her to, when she felt someone standing behind her.  
"I'll take her from here, Potter."  
Ginny gave a quick wink to Harry before turning around to see none other than Draco Malfoy.   
"Hello, Draco. Thank you for your invitation and the lovely corsage." Draco stepped back and paused a second before saying anything. He was obviously expecting some sort of insult, and most certainly not thanks! "Uh, don't mention it."   
  
As Ron went to find Harry and his sister, he stood shocked in belief. "Hermione, please tell me I am not seeing what I think I am." Hermione turned around to see Draco sweeping Ginny away and onto the dance floor. "Wh-what?" The two ran over to Harry and started hitting him with questions "Why -why didn't you stop her? What is he doing with MY sister?" said Ron. "She said she wanted to, there was nothing I could do!" "Harry, you have got to be joking! He's evil! He must be up to something!"   
Harry just turned away to hide his smile. No doubt Malfoy was up to something, but he was sure that Ginny would beat him to it!  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
For most of the night, Ginny found herself dodging Malfoy's multiple come-ons by flinging cute sayings back at him. She was slightly shocked… Malfoy was certainly no gentleman, but he wasn't his usual horrid self. And he could really dance!   
"So, Ginny, wanna find a nice little corner and get to know each other a little better?" Malfoy joked. Or at least, Ginny HOPED Malfoy was joking.   
"In your dreams, Draco."   
"Oh, you better believe it."   
Yuck-yuck-yuck!!! Ginny didn't even want to think about what might be going on in Malfoy's dreams, but she held her revulsion in, smiled and laughed. She was definitely flirting with him, and he was loving it.   
  
As the last song ended and a new slower song came on Ron muttered several curse words under his breath.  
"I'm going to kill him." Ginny's appearance with Malfoy was obviously ruining Ron's night. "I can't believe it, he must have put a spell on her or something." said Ron angrily. It didn't help that Draco kept sneering at Harry, Ron, and Hermione while getting a little closer to Ginny.   
Several times Ron jumped up in an attempt to get Malfoy's slimy hands off his little sister, but each time Harry pulled him and Hermione scolded him.   
"Ron, she's 17 years old, she can do what she wants." said Harry. "Oh no she can't! Especially not if it involves _HIM!_" Harry sat back and looked away from Ron, trying to suppress a laugh. This was exactly what Ginny wanted.   
Hermione caught the end of a laugh from Harry, which he abruptly tried to turn into a cough.   
  
"Ron, can we trust you alone for 2 minutes?" said Hermione. "Harry want to dance?"   
"Uh… okay." He said and looked at Ron, who was obviously not any happier being left alone while his best friends danced. "Ron, have fun…go find someone to dance with instead of just sitting here and brooding." Harry said while getting up. Ron obviously didn't like that idea much, because he just sat there and waited.   
  
"Harry, what is she up to?" Well, Hermione certainly got to the point.  
  
  


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Well, it's getting more interesting… I have a pretty neat plan worked out for what Ginny's going to do to Draco (and maybe what Draco might try to do to Ginny.) Nothing sexual involved, really… it just sounds that way! If you have any suggestions, hit the little button to the lower left-hand part of the page that says "Submit review!" I'd love to hear from anyone and everyone! 


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